The Best Laid Plans
by Adriana Morgan
Summary: Saeyoung has forgotten something and MC is missing. Sometimes things don't go as planned.
1. How To Screw UP

**Chapter 1: HowTo Screw Up**

 _A/N: So...I'm finally dipping my toe into the MM fandom! I've read a lot of great fics out there and I'm a bit nervous to share my efforts. This takes place before the engagement party at the ending of Secret 02. Spoilers most likely abound. I hope you enjoy it! Oh! And let me just say before you read; everyone is ok! I promise!_

Saeyoung Choi was in a state; a panicked, worried, furious state to be exact. He paced behind his desk, eyes glued to the three glowing widescreen monitors that sat on its surface. CCTV footage of various parts of the city covered the screens of each and he cursed under his breath, rubbing his scalp roughly, tousling his already messy hair . Hacking into the city's cameras hadn't been difficult. It was something he had been doing for years but not since he'd left the agency. He'd promised MC he wouldn't do anything dangerous or illegal again; nothing that could potentially take him away from her. Saeyoung knew that his girlfriend was very accommodating to his obsession to protect her, that's why he was so worried. She always called or at least texted when she was going to be home late and while she refused to wear a tracking bug in her clothing, she did acquiesce to switch over to a phone he gave her that allowed him to track its location in case of an emergency.

So there was no way she would have been gone so long without letting him know that she was alright. She wasn't answering his calls or texts and when he snatched up his phone for the tenth time in the last five minutes to check her location, it was unavailable.

Then where the hell was she? Did she turn off her phone or was she in trouble? If she was in trouble, what could he do about it? The CCTV footage was providing no answers to her whereabouts and once again he sat in the desk chair, quickly changing times and locations but still seeing nothing but the faces of strangers. Calling the other RFA members was a bust. Zen was at rehearsals, Yoosung didn't even answer, Jumin was apparently out of town and Jahee was so buried in reports and spreadsheets that she hadn't had time to do more than confirm she hadn't seen MC before apologizing and ending the call.

It had been _hours_ since the last time he remembers seeing her and he had been so immersed in the project he was working on that he hadn't done much more throw her a quick smile when she set his lunch in front of him and leaned down to kiss the top of his head. Had she mentioned going somewhere? He remembered her saying...something, but damned if he could bring it to mind. His memory was usually pretty good but he had been _so_ focused on what he was doing, rushing really to finish the project he had been working on for the past week.

"Shit," he muttered, leaning back in the chair and staring up at the ceiling. "Shit,shit, shit... _shit_!"

Growling in frustration, he glanced at his phone again, seeing that only five minutes had passed since the last time he checked.

"What are you yelling about," his twin's voice asked behind him and Saeyoung turned swiveled around to face him.

Saeran leaned against the doorframe, one hand holding a can of soda, the other shoved into the pocket of his jeans. He wore a baggy sweater, the hair hanging in his eyes the same color as his brother's. He gestured to the bright screens with the drink, raising his eyebrows. "MC's gonna be _pissed_ when she finds out you did this."

It had taken a while...a long while before Saeran was willing to even be in the same room with his twin, much less interact with him. He had been living with MC and Saeyoung since he left the hospital and even though the doctor said he was now mentally healthy enough to live on his own, he remained with the couple.

"MC isn't here and I can't find her," Saeyoung answered, his gaze returning to the street footage displayed before him. He rolled back over the desk and started working, the footage changing once again. His golden eyes scanned the nighttime scenes while his thumb tapped anxiously on his mouse.

"Did you try calling her?"

"Of course, I'm not an idiot," quickly holding up a hand to forestall his twin's cutting reply he continued. "I also texted her and she's not responding. The tracking won't work and I don't know if she turned the phone off or someone's snatched her and taken her out of range."

"Well, you have to go find her," Saeran moved to stand beside the chair, his voice low and even but Saeyoung could hear the worry in it. He nudged his brother with his knee, setting his soda can down next to the keyboard. "Move, I'll do this. Take one of those cars you love so much and look for her. It will be faster if we search at two fronts."

"Jesus, I _am_ an idiot," the bespectacled twin groaned. "Why didn't I think of that an hour ago?"

"Because you don't trust me yet," the other man answered simply, quickly taking his brother's seat when it was vacated. He felt Saeyoung stiffen slightly and draw a breath to speak. "It's fine, Saeyoung. I haven't been exactly trustworthy since our reunion. I mean, I did kidnap your girlfriend, try to blow her up, locked you both in a cell and tried to kill you. I think I've earned your suspicion."

"Saeran…"

"I know, I know," Saeran sang softly. "You love me, you forgive me, MC forgives me, it wasn't my fault. I got it. Just go. We can talk about it later if you insist."

Saeyoung gave his brother's shoulder one hard squeeze before he grabbed his hoodie and threw it on, grabbing his keys that laid on the entryway table as he activated the security door. He paused when his brother's voice called his name behind him. Looking back over his shoulder, his eyes met those of his twin through the clear glass that enclosed his workspace.

"Find her, Saeyoung," his voice was filled with emotion. "You _have_ to find her. We aren't whole without her."

Saeyoung nodded once and stepped through the threshold, starting when his phone buzzed in his pocket. His heart leapt with hope as he looked at the screen, disappointment quickly making him feel lightheaded.

Yoosung's smiling face stared back at him and Saeyoung quickly rubbed his burning eyes, declining the call. Almost immediately Zen's photo shone bright on the screen and the red-haired hacker again declined the call. Shoving the smartphone into his pocket, he exited the remaining security checkpoints and jogged to the garage, disengaging the car's locks as he went. His phone vibrated against his thigh and he pulled it out quickly. It was a text message from Zen.

 **Zen: Yo, answer your phone, it's an emergency.**

He groaned in frustration and moved to return the phone to his pocket when a second text came through. Saeyoung had never read words that struck as much fear in him.

 **Zen: It's about MC.**


	2. The Party

**Chapter 2: The "Party"**

 **A/N: The chapter where we discover MC's whereabouts and why Saeyoung is in big, big trouble.**

He ran past the address three times before he finally realized the heavy door with the muffled club music pounding behind it was his destination. The only parking he could find on the city streets was blocks away so he was slightly out of breath when he crossed the threshold, his racing heart and heavy bass of the music combining to make him feel nauseous. Pushing through the throng of people, his eyes scanned the crowd trying to find the figure of his petite girlfriend. Quickly giving up trying to pick out any particular face in the writhing sea of bodies on the dance floor, he moved his attention to the tall tables that surrounded it and finally in the very back he caught a glimpse of snow white hair. He instinctively moved in its direction, frustration growing as the amount of people slowed down his progress.

Finally there was a small break in the crowd and he rushed through it, halting a few feet away from the table where his friends sat, his girlfriend squealing with her eyes squeezed shut as she slammed down a small shot glass. The surface in front of them was littered with empty beer and soju bottles and as he watched, MC poured another shot for Zen and herself.

"Christ," he muttered, relief making his legs weak. When he had been unable to get any other information from the actor other than an address, his mind had played a hundred different scenarios of what could be wrong; this had not been one of them.

Drawing and slowly releasing the first easy breath he'd had since discovering MC was gone, Saeyoung typed out a quick text to his brother letting him know everything was ok. He shoved the phone back in his pocket as he approached the table, taking note of the sparkling pair of cat ears perched on the brunette's head. To his surprise Jumin stood beside MC's chair, his hand resting on the low back of her chair.

"Hey guys," he greeted, practically having to yell over the loud music. His brows furrowed in confusion at the glare Yoosung shot him before turning his head to look at something in the other direction.

"Seven, glad you finally made it," Zen exclaimed, slapping him on the back. "Your girl is completely drunk. You might want to take her home."

"You're drunk," MC answered, pouring herself another drink, managing to spill half of it onto the table. "And I don't feel like going home. I'm perfectly fine _and_ three ahead of you. Are you going to let a girl beat you?"

"Cute ears," Saeyoung commented to his girlfriend, leaning down to give her a quick kiss but drawing back quickly when she turned her head, causing his lips to fall on her cheek.

"Thanks." Raising her eyes to meet his she lifted her glass and poured the liquor in her mouth, her long ponytail brushing Jumin's hand when she tilted her head and swallowed.

Immediately he knew something was very off. There was anger and hurt in her eyes and though he was sure the others hadn't noticed, he could tell she had been crying recently.

"What's wrong," he tried to ask her, reaching out to squeeze her knee. He had never seen her act this way and it was concerning him greatly. She was completely shutting him out and his chest was tight with panic. He was the one she was mad at, that much was clear. Whatever he had managed to screw up was major and his hands shook slightly with the need to fix it.

MC gave a shake of her head and released a puff of laughter. " _Now_ you want to talk me...unbelieveable." To his consternation she poured another drink and downed it quickly, a small shiver passing through her as the liquid rolled down her throat. "Doesn't feel very nice, does it Saeyoung? Or should I call you Seven? Seven Zero Seven? Luciel? All of them are _masters_ of pushing everyone and everything away."

Saeyoung's heart sank at her words. His mind was racing, trying to figure out what he had done. It wasn't his preoccupation earlier that caused this reaction; at least not totally. No, there was something...something huge and to his horror he had no idea what it was. He could feel everyone's eyes on them, watching the argument that he unknowingly walked in on. Leaning closer to MC, he placed his mouth next to her ear so he didn't have to talk quite as loud. He could feel the heat of her skin, her hairline slightly damp from the effects of the alcohol and the dancing she had probably been doing for hours. He closed his eyes for just a moment and inhaled deeply, letting her scent fill his senses.

"Can we go talk, please," he finally asked and retreated, motioning towards the front of the nightclub.

MC shook her head and downed another drink; the fourth she'd had since he arrived. Good god, how much liquor could she hold before she collapsed? Judging by the number of soju bottles she had been at it a while but she was still alert, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

"Sorry," she answered, hopping off the high chair. "Six oh six is currently too busy to talk, but leave a message and I might call you back." She gave his forearm a light tap then grabbed Jumin's hand and pulled him towards the dance floor.

"Come dance with me, oppa."

"I don't dance but if you…" Jumin's voice trailed off as they got further away from the table. The businessman hadn't said a word since Saeyoung had arrived and he was surprised to realize he had forgotten that the other man was there.

His eyes followed the couple as MC led the tall man out into the middle of the dance floor before finally letting go of him. She placed a hand on his shoulder to balance herself and rose up on her toes to say something in his ear causing him to give a short laugh. Saeyoung's face tightened with heat, jealousy exploding throughout his body. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, he took a step, intending to remove MC bodily if she refused to leave when Zen's amused voice drew his attention.

"You've messed up big time," he laughed.

"It would appear so," Saeyoung muttered to himself before raising his voice to be heard over the noise. "Who gave her the ears?"

"Man, those are _diamonds_. Who do you think gave them to her?"

"Jumin," Saeyoung shook his head in disbelief. "I thought he was in Paris, what is he doing here?"

"Yeah well, when you weren't answering your phone we called him. I'm in no state to take her home and Yoosung doesn't have a car. We thought he could at least have his driver come get her but luckily he had just landed when we reached him," Zen picked up the half full bottle of beer sitting in front of him and took a swig. "He had those with him when he got here. Apparently he had them custom made while he was gone."

Saeyoung grunted, his hands curling into fists in his pockets. Unlike Zen, Jumin's wealth had never bothered Saeyoung. Sure, the rich heir was sometimes disconnected from the realities that his poorer friends lived but it wasn't his fault. They were all really just products of their birth and Jumin had never known anything but privilege. So of course when it came to gifts, he would go over the top. But the fact that the oldest member of their organization had just given his girlfriend essentially a very expensive piece of jewelry was not sitting well with the red headed hacker. Then another thought struck him.

"When the hell did she start calling him _oppa_?"

Zen shrugged, "Beats me, dude. She's been doing it all night. He doesn't seem to mind."

"I bet he doesn't."

Saeyoung was reeling with the realization that Jumin appeared to be interested in his girlfriend. The older man had never shown any more interest in MC than he did any of the other members. In their chat rooms he didn't tease her any more than the others and certainly less than Zen. He had always thought the actor was the one he had to keep an eye on with his constant flirting and inviting MC to events and outings. Now the most formal and distant of them all was standing stiffly in the middle of a crowded dance floor, arms crossed, amused grin on his face as he watched their guest coordinator dance. Well, dance was a very loose term; she was mainly jumping up and down, waving her arms in the air in time to the music. Saeyoung couldn't help a small smile of amusement to curve his own lips at just how bad a dancer she was.

"You know," Yoosung's voice interrupted his thoughts and he tore his eyes away, giving his friend his full attention. "I've always supported you and MC being together since it was obvious from the start that you guys are soul mates but if you're just going to ignore her and not even acknowledge her birthday then I don't understand why you want her around. I mean, she's really in love with you, Seven, and it's not fair for you to string her along."

Zen nodded in agreement. "I have to second that. All night I've been expecting you to show up with some grand gesture and I think she was too for a while. She kept looking at the door while explaining how busy you've been before she finally gave up. That's when she started with the shots."

Dread filled Saeyoung's chest as he stared at his friends, his eyes darting between them. No, there was no way what he was hearing was accurate. "Wait, no," he said, shaking his head. "Birthday? Her birthday isn't until next week."

Zen stared at him for a moment before bursting into hysterical laughter. "Dude, _today_ is her birthday. Why do you think we're here? MC has been wanting to try this place out for ages. It was her idea to come because she wanted to celebrate."

"No, her birthday isn't until the seventh, today is the third."

"Woooow," Zen blinked in disbelief. "I think staring at a computer screen all day has fried your brain. Today is the seventh, man."

To prove his point he pulled out his phone and showed Saeyoung his lockscreen. Saeyoung quickly pulled out his own phone and groaned when he finally noticed the date. _Shit,_ he thought, finally understanding the predicament he was in.


	3. Issues

_A/N: Eeesh, this chapter is longer and has a lot of dialogue. A very small part of this chapter inspired the whole story so I was really happy to finally get around to it. I watch a lot of k-drama so some of the things I've included in this story are inspired by that._  
 _I always find a lot of inspiration from song lyrics when I write and that was really influential in this chapter. If you're interested in getting a deeper insight to where my heads was while writing this chapter, the "soundtrack" for this one is:_

 _Issues - Julia Michaels_  
 _I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Deathcab for Cutie_  
 _Back In Your Head - Tegan and Sara_

 _Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

The guilt that overwhelmed him was almost too much to bear. The puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place and not only did he feel like an idiot, he felt like the world's biggest asshole. He sank into MC's vacant chair, dropping his head on his hands. No wonder she was so angry with him; she thought he didn't even care enough to remember her special day and he couldn't blame her.

From the moment he asked MC to stay by his side, she had been there for him without uttering a single complaint. None of the things they had been through had been easy but she had been there every step of the way, doing whatever she could to make things less stressful for him. Finally they were at a point where they could relax; where life wasn't so complicated and they could concentrate on just enjoying being together and he'd managed to fuck everything up.

Now the plans he had made to express just how much she meant to him were in tatters because he had his dates confused. He knew when he took on this last project that he shouldn't. It was enough for work for three people but the money was too good to pass up. Now not only had he ruined the surprise he had planned but he would have to spend at least a couple of sleepless nights finishing the God forsaken thing just to meet his deadline.

"Saeyoung," Jumin's dry monotone caused him to jerk upright, his attention at once drawn to the hand visible on MC's waist. His girlfriend leaned heavily on the other man, eyes closed. A small, dreamy smile hovered on her lips and Saeyoung's heart gave a lurch. "It would appear that MC has reached her limit for the evening. If you would like, I would be pleased to escort her home for you."

"No," Saeyoung answered quickly and stood, the chair's squeak swallowed by the noise surrounding them. He reached out and grasped MC's wrist, giving a gentle yank to pull her to his side. "I mean...thanks, but there's no need. I'm sorry you had to come just because I wasn't answering my phone. I can handle it from here, though."

"Of course," the raven-haired man nodded. "As for coming out; it was quite fortuitous actually. I wished to give MC her gift as soon as possible."

"Oh, yes," MC exclaimed, eyes opening wide, her hand flying up to touch the object on her head. "Thank you so much! I love it."

Saeyoung watched in surprise as MC threw herself at Jumin, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly before giving him a loud smack on his cheek before dropping her arms. She stumbled slightly and giggled, giving Jumin's arm a pat in thanks when he steadied her. Saeyoung couldn't be sure due to the lighting but he thought he saw a slight blush stain the man's cheeks.

"Oops," covering her mouth when a small hiccup escaped she let out another giggle then picked up her handbag and slipped it over her head, letting it drop across her chest. She gripped the edge of the table for a moment, closing her eyes and swaying slightly. Finally she cleared her throat and straightened, giving Saeyoung a glare when he tried to help her. Gracing Jumin with a bright smile, she bowed playfully. "I thank you for rushing to my rescue, brave knight but this princess can take care of herself. Thanks for celebrating with me guys. Zen, you owe me dinner because I totally beat you." Giving a wave of farewell she pushed into the crowd, almost instantly being swallowed by the mass of bodies.

The group of men stood silently for a moment, surprised at MC's abrupt exit.

"S-She's not planning to _walk_ is she," Zen asked in disbelief. "Doesn't she know how dangerous that is?"

"Have you ever known MC to be concerned for her safety since she joined the organization," Jumin withdrew his phone from the casual slacks he was wearing and unlocked the screen. "I will have Driver Kim pick her up; I doubt she is even outside yet."

Saeyoung plucked the phone from his fingers and locked it before handing it back. "Don't bother. I'll take care of it. She is _my_ girlfriend after all," he gave Jumin a long stare. "Obviously not now but I think we need to talk."

The C&R director gave a curt nod, replacing the phone back in his pocket. "Of course; now if you don't mind, may I suggest you go after your... _girlfriend_."

Not bothering to give a reply, Saeyoung made his way to the door, pushing down the anger that was rising in his chest, threatening to explode. He didn't know what was going on between the heir and the love of his life but it was pretty apparent that it was _something._ But that could wait; right now he needed to catch up to MC. She was in no state to be walking the streets alone this late at night. He had to get her home and into bed; tomorrow they could straighten out the mess he had created.

Stepping out into the cool night air he caught sight of her, already a block away. Trying to catch her attention he shouted her name, taking off at a run when he saw her pick up her pace slightly.

"Leave me alone," she snapped when he drew up beside her. "If you were that worried about me, you would have been here at nine like I told you."

He groaned inwardly. _Now_ her words from this afternoon came back to him.

 _We're meeting the guys at nine. I have some errands to run and I know you're really busy so I'll just see you there. Oh! You should ask Saeran to come too; I'd love to involve him."_

"I'm so sorry, babe," he apologized, reaching out to grasp her hand.

MC instantly snatched it away and folded her arms across her chest. "You're always sorry, Saeyoung."

"Home is at least ten miles away, are you going to walk the whole way?"

"Yes," she retorted, once again picking up her pace to pull ahead of him.

Saeyoung sighed in exasperation and threw his hands into the air. "Come _on,_ MC!"

Suddenly the petite brunette came to a standstill and pivoted. " _You_ come on, Seven!"

The name sounded strange on her lips and Saeyoung could feel his pulse pounding in his throat. She rarely, if ever, used it anymore; only when she was angry. It was a definite sign that a mere apology was not going to fix this particular situation.

MC angrily dashed tears from her cheeks and gave her head a slight shake. "Do you remember that first night we spent together at Rika's apartment?"

"Yes," he answered slowly, confused at the seemingly random change of subject.

She took a deep breath and let it out shakily, turning to watch the late night traffic rush by. "I was so nervous...and so scared. When you walked through the door, I knew. I instantly knew I would never love anyone but you. Then you convinced Saeran to leave and didn't even want to look at me. So I watched you, completely fascinated. I mean here was _Seven_ , the guy who had made everything that had been happening to me less lonely. The only person who always managed to make me laugh, no matter how depressed I was to be so...isolated," she paused, hugging herself to stop shaking.

"MC," Saeyoung tried tentatively, aching to take her into his arms and erase the pain in her voice.

"And you were so gorgeous," she continued as if she hadn't heard him. "The man I had talked to in the messenger was there, I knew he was but he was also haunted and...angry; he was complicated and I liked that. I didn't know what to say to you. I knew you didn't want me talking but it's what I do when I'm nervous and all I could think of were compliments," she let out a small laugh, "You couldn't understand why I wanted to take off your glasses. Did I ever explain that?"

"No," he answered softly, remembering that night clearly and how flustered he had been with all the praise she showered him with; how desperately he wanted to do nothing more than have a conversation with her but convinced the only way to protect her was to keep her at a distance.

"It was silly really, they're so pretty and I just wanted to see them better," she sighed and bit her lip. "Anyway, I figured out that you were more receptive to talking if I called you on the phone. God, I _lived_ for those phone calls."

"So did I, babe," Saeyoung tried to reassure her but MC merely shook her head again, refusing to look at him. His gaze stayed on her profile, the world around them fading into nothingness. As far as he was concerned they were the only two people in the world and her words were his oxygen.

"Then we would hang up and that wall you placed between us was too high for me climb. I tried...I tried so hard but no matter how I tried to tell you that I liked every single thing about you, you refused to listen. But then you did and I was so happy I thought my heart would burst. I walked into our relationship with my eyes wide open. I knew exactly what I was getting into. I knew it wouldn't be easy but damn it, you made _promises_ , Seven. You swore you wouldn't shut me out anymore; that you would love…" her voice dissolved into sobs, her shoulders shaking with their strength.

Saeyoung took a step, reaching out to touch her and she held up a hand in protest, trying her best to compose herself.

"D-Don't touch me," she said tearfully. "I thought the fight was over but for the past month I go to bed alone, I wake up alone and I see Saeran more than I see you. I adore your brother, you know that, but he's not _you_."

"Christ, MC," he got out through the lump in his throat, the fury he felt at himself making his voice harsher than he'd meant it to be.

MC's hand flew to her mouth and Saeyoung assumed the anger she heard shocked her until she looked at him with panicked eyes. Her gaze darted around desperately and he realized she was about to be sick. Spotting a trash can not too far away, he pointed past her. "There," he exclaimed, following her as she dashed to the receptacle and bent over to release the alcohol she had consumed.

Saeyoung brushed back the tendrils of hair that had escaped from her ponytail, ignoring her feeble attempts to knock his hands away. "Did you even eat before you drank all that?"

"Don't look at me," MC groaned running the back of her hand across her mouth. "God, this is the worst birthday ever."

The anger had seemed to be purged from her along with the liquor and he couldn't help chuckling at her, thankful she didn't recoil when he cupped her face, his thumbs wiping away the tears that were silently falling from her soft brown eyes. After a quick peck to her forehead he pulled her away from the trash can and knelt down, his back facing her.

"Climb on," he said, looking at her over his shoulder. "Let's get you home. I think you need some rest."

MC hesitated then relented and awkwardly climbed onto his back, squealing when he stood, hoisting her into a better position. Saeyoung struck out in the direction of his parked car smiling when, after a couple of blocks, he heard her snore lightly in his ear.

The only thought he had on the walk to his vehicle was the he had to fix this. Everything MC said was true. He had made promises; promises that he always intended to keep. He had also been working entirely too much. When he left the agency, he promised MC he would try to have a somewhat regular work schedule. At least one that would allow them to spend time together but she was right. He had been sleeping on the couch a lot recently, needing an hour or two of sleep but not wanting to disturb his girlfriend.

 _Dumbass_ he thought to himself. Of course she thought he was shutting her out; why wouldn't she? He had been all but chained to his computer lately and he was ashamed of himself that he had known Saeran would step in to keep MC company while his twin was working. Saeran was close to her so he had taken advantage of that and allowed himself to believe that MC was cool with him being temporarily so unavailable.

When they reached the red sports car, Saeyoung opened the door to the small car and lowered MC as gently as he could into the passenger seat. He leaned over her sleeping form to fasten her seatbelt and was surprised when he felt her fingering one of his red curls.

"Saeyoung...hi," she said softly, her words slightly slurred. A small smile curved her lips as she ran her fingers through his hair and tugged lightly. "I love you so much," she whispered, a tear slipping from her eye. "How do I make you want me again?"

Saeyoung's heart squeezed painfully, heat prickling his eyes. "There hasn't been a single moment since I've met you that I haven't wanted you, babe."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise," he answered softly, raising a hand to cup her face. She leaned into it, her eyes closing. Saeyoung's vision blurred with tears. "And I swear I'm going to make this up to you. Now sleep, my goddess, we'll be home before you know it."


	4. The Morning After

**Chapter 4: The Morning After**

MC groaned and opened her eyes, immediately shutting them against the blinding beams of sunlight peeking in through the small crack of the curtains. She rolled over and covered her aching head with her pillow, convinced she was dying. Her head throbbed painfully, eyes swollen and sore, mouth dry, and with each breath she said a small prayer that she didn't puke into expensive sheets Saeyoung spent a small fortune on.

She stayed as still as a statue until the worse of the nausea passed before cautiously lifting the pillow and slowly sitting up. The room spun and she clamped her eyes shut, hands fisted in the sheets to steady herself.

"Oh god," she moaned, the sound of her scratchy voice making her wince in pain. Hesitantly she stood and took a small step, exhaling in relief when her stomach didn't lurch. Grabbing the first clean clothes she saw, which happened to be one of Saeyoung's t-shirts and a pair of her cotton hipsters, she tentatively made her way to the bathroom. The reflection that greeted her in the bathroom mirror startled her and she let out a small cry of alarm, once again wincing at the noise.

Her hair was a tangled mass, sticking up here and there; her eyes were ringed with smudged eyeliner, streaks of black mascara ran down her cheeks.

She turned on the shower and while she waited grabbed a small bottle of ibuprofen from the medicine cabinet, careful to avoid her reflection. She swallowed a few of the blue pills with handful of water then removed the lacy babydoll pajamas she couldn't remember putting on the night before.

Standing under the hot spray of the shower she recalled most of what happened the night before. Groaning she rested her head against the cool tile, letting the water beat down on her pounding head.

"No, no, no, no," she chanted remembering the way she had coldly rejected her boyfriend, heat flooding her face is shame when she recalled the hurt on his face. Her already swollen eyes welled with tears, the pain of hurting him making her ache.

She hadn't known that his preoccupation with work had been bothering her so much. It wasn't surprising to her that he had the tendency to get lost in his own head and up until he took on this last job he had been perfectly attentive to her. But recently she had been falling asleep while waiting for him to come to bed, waking up to find his side of the bed cool and undisturbed. She'd noticed him not always paying attention to her when she spoke to him and if she wasn't so worried about his health he wouldn't leave his desk long enough to do more than grab a soda and bag of chips.

No, now that she thought about it, she meant everything she could remember saying last night but that didn't mean she wasn't embarrassed about pouring it all out in the middle of a city sidewalk. Mainly she was upset at herself for letting her anger dictate her actions. Yes, Saeyoung's recent distraction was hurtful but that was no reason to retaliate the way she had.

MC let the water run cold to soothe her aching eyes then finally turned it off, quickly drying herself off and grabbing her toothbrush. As she brushed her teeth she stared at her reflection, practising what to say when she inevitably ran into her red-headed lover. By the time she was done and pulled his shirt over head, she had a semblance of an apology prepared that she believed would convey her regret while still letting him know that she meant what she said.

Until she emerged from the short hallway into the living area and saw Saeyoung slouched on the couch, bare feet crossed on the coffee table in front of him. She watched as he flipped through the tv channels, his sleep tousled hair making her smile. The carefully prepared words she had been composing in her head for the past ten minutes flew from her mind when he caught sight of her, gracing her with one of his bright smiles.

"Good morning," he greeted cheerfully, muting the tv and sitting up straighter.

"Um...hi...I mean...good morning," MC mumbled, her fingers toying with the hem of his t-shirt that fell mid-thigh, eyes looking everywhere but at him. Clearing her throat she tilted her head in the direction of his workspace. "You aren't working."

"Nope," he answered. She heard him toss the remote onto the coffee table then pat the cushion beside him. "Come sit. I think we need to talk."

MC bit her lip indecisively, her eyes darting up from the floor to glance at him. He was still smiling, patiently waiting for her to approach him. What she wanted to do more than anything was run back to their room and hide under the covers. Shame was making her muscles weak and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"I-I should go fix some f-food," she stammered, relief that she found a reason to hide away making her lightheaded. "You're probably starving and I-I know you don't-"

"It can wait," Saeyoung interrupted quietly, his smile having faded. He gave the cushion another pat in invitation. "Please?"

MC nodded, only hesitating for a moment before she moved across the small room. When she finally reached him, Saeyoung clasped her hand to pull her gently into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly, humming in contentment as he nuzzled her ear.

"That's better," he said softly, loosening his embrace to run one hand up her back, moving her long hair aside to bare her neck. He placed his lips on the curve of her neck and she sighed, her body finally relaxing into him.

MC wound her arms around his neck, her eyes burning with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered, burying her face in his neck. "I'm so, so sorry."

He rubbed her back lightly, comforting her as the threatened tears spilled over, dampening his collar. "For what?"

She pulled back to finally meet his eyes, seeing nothing but love shining back at her. "I don't remember everything that happened last night but I know I was completely awful to you, Saeyoung."

"Ah well," he sighed, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I deserved it."

She shook her head in denial. "No, you didn't. I could have just been honest with you when I was feeling neglected."

"Stop," he chided, one long fingered hand squeezing her knee. "I"m taking the blame for this one, babe. So don't try to convince me otherwise. When I work, I get so focused on what I'm doing that I tune everything else out. It's an old habit from when it was an escape from my life. I'm sorry that I made you feel that I didn't care about you or that I didn't want you anymore. I want you so much all the time; even when I sleep, you're there loving me."

MC's breath quickened at his words, her pulse beginning to race. Her eyes dropped to his lips and she was suddenly very aware of where she was sitting, the hand on her back that was still methodically traveling up and down, the other hand on the bare skin of her knee.

"This is when you kiss me," Saeyoung teased, a grin spreading across his face.

She tugged on his red curls playfully before slowly removing his glasses, holding them loosely in her fingers as she lowered her mouth to his.

His lips were soft but firm as they moved over hers, the hand on her back rising to the nape of her neck. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opened them, tilting her head to give him better access.

Saeyoung's tongue met her and she moaned softly, his glasses falling onto the back of the sofa when her fingers tangled into his hair. His hand moved up her naked thigh and she pressed against him, longing for more contact.

"Hey," a loud, annoyed voice startled them and MC jumped, quickly pulling the bottom of her shirt down to cover what she could of her exposed legs.

"Jesus Christ, Saeran," Saeyoung groaned, his head dropping back against the sofa, dislodging his spectacles. MC caught them deftly and placed them back on his face, her heart skipping a beat at his smile of thanks. "Knock or something."

"You're the ones making out on the sofa like a couple of teenagers. This is communal space, after all. You," he said sternly, his eyes locking onto MC. Swiftly he crossed the room and grasped her arm, pulling her to her feet. "What the hell do you think you're doing leaving the house and turning off your phone? Do you know how worried we were?"

Saeran gave her a light shake. Saeyoung jumped to his feet and placed a restraining hand on his brother's shoulder. "Calm down."

Shrugging off his twin's touch, he pulled MC into his arms, wrapping them around her shoulders, his head resting on top of hers. "You can't do that, MC. Promise me; promise you won't just disappear like that again," he pleaded, his anger gone; his voice rough and broken.

"I-I promise," MC answered, setting her hands lightly on his waist.

At her touch he immediately pulled away, clearing his throat and inconspicuously wiped his eyes. "Good," he finally said, avoiding looking at either of them. "I'll go start breakfast. Go put some clothes on."

"Just throw on some sweats," Saeyoung chimed in, giving her a grin. "That shirt looks way better on you than it ever did me."

Saeran made a disgusted noise and headed towards the kitchen while MC hurried quickly in the opposite direction.

* * *

Twenty minutes later MC sat at the small kitchen table nibbling at a piece of dry toast-the only food she thought she would be able to keep down-as she watched the twins devour what passed as breakfast.

"Do you two seriously not know how to cook anything besides ramen and rice," she asked curiously.

The duo paused from slurping the spicy noodles into their mouths and two eerily similar faces stared back at her speechlessly

"Well, it's not like our mother ever taught us," Saeran finally said giving her a shrug. "After I never had a reason to learn."

"There are eggs in this so technically you know how to cook those," Saeyoung quipped.

Saeran gave a snort of laughter and leaned back over his food. "Right."

"I...could teach you...if you'd like," MC said tentatively.

Saeran seemed to not have heard her and she was about to let it pass when he finally answered. "Sure," he said shortly.

"What about me," Saeyoung whined pitifully.

"No," MC and Saeran answered in unison, both remembering when MC tried to teach Saeyoung how to bake cookies and he somehow managed to catch them on fire.

Saeyoung pouted, pushing away his now empty bowl. "You guys are no fun."

MC stood and moved to give him a kiss on his temple then leaned down to whisper in his ear. "I'll show you how fun I can be later."

He gave a small hum of approval and grabbed her hand. Raising it to his mouth, he kissed the palm then pressed it to his cheek. MC smiled and ran the fingers of her free hand through his hair, enjoying the silky feel of it.

"Ugh, would you two cut it out," Saeran groaned, grabbing his brother's empty bowl and hurrying into the kitchen.

MC laughed and reluctantly pulled her hand away, leaning down to quickly press her lips to his, pulling away before he could react.

"I need to go dress properly. We're all going to starve if I don't go buy something besides ramen."

"Alright," he said before giving her a serious look. "Before you go, there's something else I'd like to discuss. If you have time."

"Of course," she answered, her brows furrowing in question.

Saeyoung gave her a bright smile and hopped to his feet, gesturing grandly. "After you, my lady."

He followed her to their room and closed the door quietly behind him. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he picked up the pair of glittering cat ears he had carefully placed on the bedside table the night before and turned them over in his hands nervously.

Seeing the flashy object, MC suddenly remembered the extravagant gift then gasped, a hand covering her mouth. "Please tell me that I did not pull Jumin Han onto a dance floor."

Saeyoung grinned up at her in amusement. "I'm afraid so, hon, though he didn't put up much of a fight," the grin on his face melted and he cleared his throat, his gaze dropping back to the item in his hands. "Um...I need to ask you something but I don't want you to think I don't trust you because I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone."

"Okay…" MC replied slowly, the confusion in her voice obvious.

Saeyoung paused, running the question over in his mind, trying to find the perfect way to ask her. Finally he gave up and gave a deep sigh; being straightforward was for the best.. "Is there something going on between you and Jumin?"

He closed his eyes as he waited for her answer, her silence filling the space and making his heart skip a beat. His eyes snapped open at her laughter and he quickly looked up to see her staring at him in disbelief.

"Are you kidding," she managed to ask, sinking to her knees between his legs, wiping away her tears of mirth.

A blush stained his fair cheeks. "You two seemed pretty close last night. His hands were all over you and when you returned from dancing you were…" he stopped, realizing how he sounded. His fingers tightened on the ears as jealous anger choking him.

"No, I was just leaning against him so I wouldn't fall over," MC protested. "I got dizzy while dancing and I wouldn't let him carry me so he supported me so I could get back to the table."

She took the accessory from his hands and set it on the bed beside him then grasped his hands with hers.

"Saeyoung, look at me, please," she said softly, squeezing his fingers. When his amber eyes met hers she smiled sadly. "I swear to you on our love that Jumin is nothing more than a friend. He's...he's like an older brother. We've been having lunch together every once in awhile and he listens to me talk about you. I promise, that's all there is. You are the first and only man I will ever love; I will never... _never_ leave you. Not for anyone or anything."

Saeyoung released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Relief rushed through him. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, suddenly ashamed he had even asked her the question.

"It's fine, I can't say I wouldn't be jealous if you started spending time with someone else. Like Jaehee for instance," she smiled when he laughed at the ridiculous image of him and Jumin's assistant willingly spending time together. "Look, I'll just return them," she said.

"No," Saeyoung sighed. "You should keep them; they suit you and it's not like he can't afford it."

"It's not about the cost," MC retorted. "It bothers you that he gave me something so expensive and personal. Don't try to deny it because I can tell."

"It bothers me," he admitted. "But if you like them I can deal with it."

She shook her head. "Where in the world would I wear a diamond encrusted set of cat ears anyway? Not there," she said quickly, seeing the wicked grin that spread across his face. "No, I'll give it back to him as soon as I see him."

"Let me do it," Saeyoung called when she rose and disappeared into the closet to put together her outfit. "I have to go that way anyway."

"Alright," she answered, emerging from the closet with a dress she knew he liked. "Tell him I'm sorry but I just don't feel comfortable accepting something so extravagant."

Standing he took her into his arms, giving her a soft, sweet kiss. "I love you, MC."

"I love you too," she breathed and rested her head on his chest, her arms encircling his waist and hugging him tightly.

Saeyoung tightened his embrace, his mind on the special item he intended to purchase and the conversation he was about to have with Jumin Han.


End file.
